In the year 2088, humanity's space agency Star Control launches Earth's first interstellar-capable ship to investigate an alien distress signal. The player takes the role of that ship's captain, venturing out from the Solar System into a largely unknown galaxy. What begins as a response to a single signal opens into a wider journey of exploring distant worlds, making contact with alien species, and navigating the alliances and conflicts that follow. Characters, species, and events encountered along the way present quests that draw the captain deeper into the galaxy and its mysteries.